Greetings to my new friends :D

[Michiru]

Hello hello! While I'm not new to McDougalling, I am new to the new board here and very happy to see the change! Looking forward to a good, optimistic start here
So here's a bit about myself...

My "McDougall" history:
I discovered the McDougall program around the same time I went vegan, which was Thanksgiving '99, so that's been 7 years now! I discovered it as I was researching information about veganism, came across Vegsource, wherein I also found out about the McDougall plan. I was happy to find out that eliminating all animal products not only wouldn't be bad for my health, it actually would be beneficial! Sadly, though I've done very well sticking with veganism, I haven't done so well sticking to McDougalling these past 7 years, I guess my concern for animals often outweighs my concern for my own health at times...

I've recently "rediscovered" McDougalling as a result of trading in my part time retail job for a full time desk job earlier this year. I've gained enough weight to the point that most of my clothes don't fit me anymore
Though I was sad to discover that I could not participate on the McDougall board at Vegsource (active member years ago, left for various reasons), as my ISP is banded from there. Tried submitting their form to get access on more than one occasion, never got a response
So, needless to say, this new change to the McDougall forums is a very welcome one for me indeed! I much prefer this message board style anyway

Some personal info:
I'm 26 years old, female, living in central Florida (Orlando area) with my fiancee. I work for a local cable company doing internet and digital phone tech support in a call center. In my free time I enjoy video games (mostly World of Warcraft and DDR), reading (mostly fantasy), needle crafts, shopping (what girl doesn't love shopping?!), cooking, and generally mucking about on the internet.

Currently, I don't know how much I weigh, I don't have a scale and would rather keep it that way, though I'm certain I'm at the heaviest I've ever been my entire life. Once I find my measuring tape I may use that to keep track of my progress. I think my biggest challenges right now are the fact that I don't have much time to cook good meals on a daily basis (work schedule really bleh right now), and the fact that I will often enthusiastically buy lots of wonderful fresh foods, not have time to prepare them or even forget that I have them, then to later discover that they've all gone bad, discouraging me from buying much fresh foods again ... fiancee and I are trying to save up to buy a house of our own, so we are on a bit of a budget.

Sorry if this was all a bit long-winded, but I look forward to McDougalling with all of you!

[Lin]

Hi Michiru,

Welcome to the board!

I'm offering a suggestion to you about buying fresh produce. Many of us who post on this board have had the same problem you posted about. I know I have.
I hate to admit it, but I'm a procrastinator.
When it comes to fresh produce, you can't bring it home and just put it in the fridge because most likely, that's where it will remain. You have to wash it and prepare it to eat. For example, I buy romaine lettuce and bring it home and wash it and put it in the salad spinner to drain the water from it. Then I tear it in pieces and put it in a zip-loc bag and then put it in the fridge. I wash the veggies and prepare them to eat and I put them in those Glad storage bowls and containers. Then when I'm hungry and go looking in the fridge, I can take out a container and immediately begin crunching on carrot or celery sticks or radishes or whatever I have in the container. This also makes it easier to make salads.
If I don't do this, I usually end up reaching for other foods that are higher in calories and I end up eating too much. I love starches, but I'm a volume eater and I have to limit them, or I gain weight.

During the week days, I get up early to pack a lunch for my teen son to take to school. He has lots of allergies (so do I), and I have to pack his lunch, plus school food is gross and unhealthy. I pack him a small container of raw veggies and after I pack his lunch, I fix a huge salad that will last me all day. It's so easy to just pull that already prepared lettuce out of the fridge and put some of it into the salad bowl without having to wash and tear it up first! I do this with cabbages too. I already have them washed and chopped or shredded. Of course there are a few veggies that you can't cut or chop ahead of time but you can at least have them already washed. (like tomatoes). I love cucumbers and what I do with them is wash them and maybe cut up enough for a couple of salads. My DD likes them cut up and put in some Bragg apple cider vinegar diluted with water. They will keep quite a while done like this and I like them like this too. Then when lunch time rolls around, all I have to do is pull my already prepared salad out and enjoy some of it, along with whatever starch I've chosen. I do the same with dinner.

If I didn't do this, McDougalling definately would not work for me because I'd be too lazy to pull out produce and have to prepare it every time I felt like I wanted to eat something.

If you don't have time to prepare your veggies in the morning, then do it at night as you prepare your dinner, or even after dinner.
All it takes is getting in the habit of doing this and it gets easier as time goes on.

I wish you much success on your McDougall journey!

[Michiru]

Thanks for the tips! That'll definately help. Though I wonder why it hasn't occured to me before - as I've realized that whe I cook up a large quantity of good, healthy food where there's plenty of left overs, I'm more inclined to reheat those left overs than go for less healthy options.

[Sunny]

Welcome to the board. I like the Avatar, very cool.

You mentioned not alot of time to cook, I usually cook once a week and put everthing in containers, then either freeze or refrigerate so I can grab food to take to work, at dinner just pop something in the microwave.
My kids are not full blown McDougallers, but I also make sauces and beans that they like and can make them pasta or burritos pretty quickly.
Hope this is helpful, glad to have you here.